Empty Castle

With so much snowfall, those heading to Hogsmeade were warmly dressed and wore warm boots to keep out the wet snow out and keep their feet toasty warm. It had come as a shock to many of the student body when that morning Sirius was witnessed accompanying Tiffany to Hogsmeade. A furor of rumors flew about, and no doubt owls would be going out throughout the day to nosey family members with the recent news.

Rowan had been expecting as much especially after Tiffany revealed the news during dinner. Severus had looked rather shocked while Terry nodded sagely in understanding and congratulated Tiffany for unwittingly winning the heart of Sirius Black. Regulus, who had heard the news was a bit disturbed by the fact that Sirius had invited anyone to be his escort. Knowing his brother, Regulus knew that Sirius was serious about Tiffany, and had clearly written to his parents informing of the important news.

With a smirk on her face, Rowan had watched Severus head off first to Hogsmeade with Lily. Severus thought he was in for a romantic date at Hogsmeade, when in reality, Hell was about to begin. She could have warned him, but where would be the fun in that?

Strangely, Rowan had not seen James come down that morning, but Remus, who was remaining behind that day had explained that James hadn't been feeling well as of late. He often looked sleepless and seemed to lack little to any appetite. Even Madam Pomfrey had been concerned enough to request he come to pick up his usual calming draughts in person to confirm that they are in fact taken in her presence.

With Hogwarts mostly empty except for the 1st and 2nd years, Rowan set the younger students in the common room with board games and other activities such as four corners. (Four Corner's, a children's game is for the players to choose corners of the room and try not to be caught by the person designated as "IT" as they choose a corner until there is only one last participant.)

Well, Rowan vastly underestimated the power of the game as baby snakes are cunning, cheating, little things. Needless to say, she allowed the game to play out and left once she ensured that all of the younger years were occupied. Knowing it wasn't wise to leave her snakeling's unattended for so long, she hurried to her destination.

With mostly everyone out of the castle except for the first and second years, Rowan could cautiously assume that most of the vessels of Hydra were out of Hogwarts for this brief period of time, and were not located anywhere within the vicinity of the castle. Down the dungeons near the winding staircase, she arrives at the painting of a gigantic silver fruit bowl. She gently stretches out her finger to tickle the huge green pear in the painting. The green pair squirms and chuckles before finally transforming into a silver door handle. She quickly pulled the door open and hurried inside ensuring to firmly shut the door behind her.

The kitchens are toasty warm as Rowan pauses to glance up at the enormous high-ceiling chamber as large as the Great Hall. Mounds of spotless pots and pans were perfectly heaped in rows against the stone walls as the four empty tables are positioned exactly beneath the tables above. Turning away, she glances down at the swarms of happy house elves in uniform, who happily greet her.

Instantly, Rowan spots the water-eyed female house named Toppy in a neat little French uniform. Her skirt is puffy, and she wears silk stockings with dark shoes. "Hello Toppy, how are you? And is Nadira here yet?"

"Toppy is fine, Miss!" Squeaked the happy female house elf in a French maid uniform. "The guardian is here!"

All of a sudden, a large pale serpent over 12 feet long appears that is as thick as a man's thigh. Nadira's sapphire-colored eyes twinkle as the matching colored gem in her forehead litters in the light. The stubs on the side of Nadira's head have grown harder and longer turning into tiny horns.

Happily slithering forward, Nadira curls up around Rowan causing her to let out a groan at Nadira's weight. "Let me sit down first," Rowan huffed as Nadira barely loosened her grip and Rowan stumbled towards a bench. Letting out a loud oof, she sits down and sighs painfully at the weight of Nadira. Whatever the merfolk feed Nadira, they need to seriously cut back and put her on a diet. Still, Rowan didn't have a death wish and she only vividly recalled how Nadira had consumed the entire corpse of Zephyros. The image still gave her nightmares and wasn't about to go away any time soon.

An outspoken male elf with pointed ears named Habbey approaches them. He wears a dark jacket with a neat, white toga that carries Hogwarts's initials. "Miss would you like anything?"

"Maybe later, Habbey," Rowan huffed, "thank you."

The house elves retreat giving them privacy as Nadira slowly loosens her grip on Rowan and rests most of her weight on the table allowing Rowan to breathe. "Protector," Nadira sulked, "it's not fair. I shouldn't be constricted to the lake!"

"Nadira," Rowan gently chided in parseltongue, "with the death of Zephyros, the vessels within the castle are being doubly cautious. I know that it was not your intention, but our actions have consequences. And this is the consequence of your acting without thinking."

Nadira flicks her tongue in annoyance, "Then will I have to return to reside under the lake again?"

"Yes, Nadira," Rowan firmly answered causing the serpent to sadly sigh and gloomily stare at the floor.

"The merfolk treat you well do they not?" Rowan pointedly asked as she intently studied the albino serpent.

"Yes, protector," Nadira grumbled with resignation, "but I want to fly freely and wander about. This is my domain and it is my right as a guardian!"

"Yes, but you are young," Rowan frankly retorted. "Your Great Snake Mother and Leonidas, the former guardian of Hogwarts could not defeat the abomination then you, my little one, what chance have you?"

"I am cunning," Nadira fearlessly countered.

"Exactly," Rowan said with a hint of pride. "Your power lies in the fact that your foe is unaware of your existence and will underestimate you. You will need to use every single bit of power to grow stronger, Nadira. Unlike your mother, you possess the resistance to poison and venom thanks to your sire. I know not what your sire was, but he gifted you with his abilities as well."

Nadira pensively flicks her tongue and says, "My sire left no memory inheritance for me, but I can sense the knowledge in the depths of my core. The knowledge will reveal itself once I have grown enough for to use said abilities."

"As it should be," Rowan said, "now what do you have to tell me regarding with what you overhead that night, Nadira?" The conversation had long been overdue, but Rowan could not risk Nadira being noticed nor much less being followed or overheard. This was the only real opportunity she would have until after the winter holidays for the castle to be so devoid of students.

Nadira flickered her tongue as if disliking the words, she was about to utter. "There is at least one other vessel within the castle with a possible second."

"Were there any clues as to any vessel within the castle?" Rowan coolly asked.

"I know that identity of the vessel was that of a young female," Nadira quietly answered.

Rowan is quiet and still pondering Nadira's answer. Half of the populace of Hogwarts were female. The vessel could easily be in the lower or upper years and in any of the four houses for that matter. There was no real way to exclude anyone except for those that were former werewolves and those possessing other bloodlines much like Terry's family did. That still left roughly about 2/3's of the female student body population.